Lexington, Ky. is recognizing Waste Reduction Week with a focus on reducing the amount of waste residents produce. The campaign encourages the community to actively participate in the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
As officials amplify awareness about recycling practices, they acknowledge the complexities involved. Halsten Higgins, an Information Officer for LFUCG Environmental Services, stated, “Recycling can be overwhelming. Even the folks who work for the city are sometimes overwhelmed by it.” The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet identifies recycling as a $236 billion industry in the U.S., yet practices vary significantly by location.
“Recycling is local, and what we can recycle is based on what machinery we actually have in the recycle center,” Higgins explained. Residents in Lexington should be mindful that an item being marked with a recycling symbol does not necessarily guarantee it is recyclable within the city’s facilities. Contamination from non-recyclable items can hinder the recycling process.
“It’s important to recycle right,” Higgins emphasized. “The cleaner our recycle stream is and the less contamination it has, the easier it is for us to package it up and sell it to people that would turn it into something else.” The city provides a comprehensive list of recyclable materials on its website, stressing that items should not contain any moisture or food residue.
Among the key guidelines, residents should refrain from including plastic bags in their recycling. “Keep your recycling loose in the blue cart,” Higgins advised. “We have human employees processing all this stuff on the line, and when things are hidden in bags, they could be sharp objects. They could be needles, and we don’t want to expose them to anything dangerous.”
While recycling plays a significant role in waste management, Higgins encourages residents to consider reducing consumption and reusing items as more impactful strategies for environmental sustainability. “Reducing what you consume and reusing what you already have are more impactful strategies to help the environment,” he added.
To engage the public, Lexington is hosting scheduled tours of the Recycling Center on Tuesday and Friday during Waste Reduction Week. Interested individuals can register online to participate. The effort aims to promote responsible waste practices and educate the community about the importance of maintaining a clean recycling stream.
